Contents Message by Member Secretary, State Planning Commission ...................................................................... vii Preface by the District Collector .................................................................................................................. ix Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................................ xi List of Boxes ............................................................................................................................................... xiii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................. xiv List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................... xv Chapters 1. District Profile ....................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Human Development in District ........................................................................................................ 19 3. Employment, Income and Poverty ..................................................................................................... 29 4. Demography, Health and Nutrition .................................................................................................... 51 5. Literacy and Education ....................................................................................................................... 83 6. Gender ............................................................................................................................................... 107 7. Social Security .................................................................................................................................... 119 8. Infrastructure ..................................................................................................................................... 131 9. Summary and Way Forward .............................................................................................................. 145 Annexure Tables ........................................................................................................................................ 165 Technical Notes ......................................................................................................................................... 183 Abbreviations............................................................................................................................................. 189 References .................................................................................................................................................. 195 v RAMANATHAPURAM DISTRICT HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2017 District Administration, Ramanathapuram and State Planning Commission, Tamil Nadu in association with DHAN Foundation Contents Message by Member Secretary, State Planning Commission ...................................................................... vii Preface by the District Collector .................................................................................................................. ix Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................................ xi List of Boxes ............................................................................................................................................... xiii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................. xiv List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................... xv Chapters 1. District Profile ....................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Human Development in District ........................................................................................................ 19 3. Employment, Income and Poverty ..................................................................................................... 29 4. Demography, Health and Nutrition .................................................................................................... 51 5. Literacy and Education ....................................................................................................................... 83 6. Gender ............................................................................................................................................... 107 7. Social Security .................................................................................................................................... 119 8. Infrastructure ..................................................................................................................................... 131 9. Summary and Way Forward .............................................................................................................. 145 Annexure Tables ........................................................................................................................................ 165 Technical Notes ......................................................................................................................................... 183 Abbreviations............................................................................................................................................. 189 References .................................................................................................................................................. 195 v Preface by the District Collector K. Nanthakumar, I.A.S., Collectorate, Ramanathapuram – 623 501 District Collector & Magistrate Ph (O): 04567 – 231220 Ramanathapuram (R): 04567 – 221349 (Fax): 04567 – 220648 & 230558 e-mail: [email protected] Preface Date: 04-08-2015 Tamil Nadu Vision 2023 aims at making the state “Numero UNO” State in India to achieve the levels of Human Development on par with the developed countries. The Human Development reports brought out by the state has brought the achievements and intra district disparities in human development attainments which demands to create basic infrastructure at the habitation level for addressing the specific issues. It calls for innovative programs which require inputs for addressing the backwardness and mainstreaming those backward areas. The preparation of DHDR would form a basis for the preparation of the Perspective plan with a human development perspective to have contextualized interventions. Human Development is a continuous process of enlarging people’s choices relating with, to lead a long and healthy life, to acquire knowledge and to have access to resources needed for a decent standard of living. The present report strives to measure, compare and document the extent of development in blocks relating to the above said choices to the local community. It has captured the status of Human Development of Ramanathapuram District through Human development index (HDI), Gender Inequality Index (GII), Child Development Index (CDI) and Multidimensional poverty index (MPI), which is a composite index highlighting the benchmarks and concerns in the district. The range observed across the blocks in HDI value is 0.60 ((Ramanathapuram (0.92) to Bogalur (0.32)), the range lower in case of GII (0.10) and highlights the industrial backwardness. Gender equality in district is better than that of Human Development. The report calls for consideration of three more blocks, i.e. Nainarkoil, R. S. Mangalam and Tiruvadanai blocks as backward blocks besides the seven blocks, namely Bogalur, Kadaladi, Kamuthi, Mandapam, Mudhukulathur, Paramakudi and Tirupullani under State Balanced Growth Fund. The process of preparation of the DHDR has enabled the district administration to have a core committee to review the progress and to moot proposals under State Balanced Growth Fund. I thank the State Planning Commission for this opportunity and place on record the appreciation for District Planning Cell and DHAN Foundation, in preparation of the report with the latest data (2013-14) through a systematic process of validation with the line departments and the State Planning Commission. Having completed the District Human Development Report, the challenge is to build ownership among stakeholders through goal setting for each block and set systems and process at the district and block level for tracking. I look forward for all the departments and stakeholders to take advantage of the investment made by disseminating the findings and to build their capacities by mooting innovative proposals and build convergence with the existing schemes to improve the human development index resulting in a model district for the State. (K. Nanthakumar) ix Acknowledgement We take great pleasure in acknowledging the contributions of the stakeholders which has enabled us to prepare Ramanathapuram District Human Development Report. We express our sincere gratitude to State Planning commission and District Administration in identifying us as a resource institution for preparing the prestigious District Human Development